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Colorado starts state budget process with more cash

By Ivan Moreno Associated Press

Posted:
03/26/2013 11:01:14 PM MDT

Updated:
03/26/2013 11:01:59 PM MDT

DENVER -- Colorado public schools and colleges are set to get more money in next year's budget, and state employees will get their first pay raise in years, as lawmakers prepare to vote on the state's spending plan.

The Senate kicks off debate on the budget today with more money to spend than what the state has seen in previous years, driven in part by tax revenue from stock sales, economists have said.

Funding per student in public schools is expected to increase next year, although it's not yet known by how much, and colleges are getting nearly $30 million more added to their general fund budget of about $658.4 million.

Schools and colleges are areas of the budget that have suffered deep cuts in recent years. However, lawmakers say they still haven't made up all the lost funding, and note that public schools are about $1 billion under the budget level they should be at.

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